§ 22. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make it her policy that the teaching of Arabic in schools where appropriate and practicable shall be made available to school children at the time when their imitative linguistic ability is at its zenith. [3892]
§ Mr. PaiceAll secondary school pupils must study a modern foreign language as part of the national curriculum. Primary schools are free to teach languages but are not required to do so. Arabic is one of 19 languages which schools may teach as a national curriculum subject. It is for schools to decide whether to teach Arabic, according to their resources and parental demand.